THE HAGUE —
The Dutch government has allocated 4.9 million Euros for Suriname on its 2015 budget.
For 2016 the sum drops to 2.2 million Euros. The Miljoenennota, with a deficit of 15 million Euros, was presented to the Lower House yesterday. The funds for Suriname are allocated on the budget for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Buza).The Buza budget shows that in 2013 the Netherlands spent 1.6 million Euros on Suriname and 3.9 million in 2014. The 2015 budget does not contain an explanatory memorandum on how the 4.9 million will be spent.The Netherlands severed political ties on government level with Suriname when the Amnesty Act was adopted by parliament in 2012. The Hague also froze all assets Suriname is still eligible to from the 1975 Development Aid Agreement.
The Buza final report shows that the development aids has dwindled to 700,000 Euros. Back in 1975 parties had agreed that Suriname would receive the equivalence of 1.6 billion Euros in development aid.
Speech from the Throne King Willem Alexander held the annual Speech from the Throne on Tuesday, also known as Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands.The Speech from the Throne outlines the most important plans the government intends to carry out in the following year. Robby Makka, fiscaljurist and chairman of the Kenniskring Nederland –Suriname, as well as OwenVenloo (jurist and PvdA politician) say this year address sends a mixed message to Suriname and Surinamese;to some is contains a hopeful message while to others it is not. The King said that the Dutch economy is resilient and shows signs of improvement after years of decline and growing unemployment.
The deficit is likely to drop to 2.2 percent of the GDP reason why the government does not consider further cuts necessary. Planned tax measures amounting to 1 billion Euros have also been frozen.Both Makka and Venloo say that Suriname will benefit from a booming.Dutch economy because it will not only result in more remittances and food parcels, but also increasing trade and more arrivals.This in turn will benefit the Surinamese economy. On the other hand, Surinamese in the Netherlands are craving jobs.-.
Source: DWT Suriname